Method for improving emc robustness of integrated capacitive sensors

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for improving the EMC robustness of Integrated Capacitive Sensor systems with a sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC). The SSC is connected with a capacitive integrating converter to convert a received signal into a bit stream. An oscillator provides a plurality of sampling frequencies. A counter connected with the capacitive integrating converter collects the bit stream and calculates the digital representative of the physical input which is than stored in an output register. The method includes performing some conversions with different sampling frequencies from the oscillator or a frequency divider by the capacitive integrating Signal-Converter; storing the results of the samplings and using the results in the following cycle to calculate for each sampling frequency a difference to the prior sampling of the same frequency; and calculating the digital representative of the input signal from the external sensing capacitor as the reverse weighted average of the samplings of the different frequencies.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2016 117 009.7 filed Sep. 9, 2016, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as part of the present disclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention addresses to a method for improving the EMC robustness of Integrated Capacitive Sensor systems with a Sensor Signal-Conditioner and describes a system approach capable to reduce the spectral noise sensitivity of such sensors significantly.

BACKGROUND

Sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC) for capacitive sensors has to cope with the task to avoid the effect of growing EMC susceptibility coupled to the sensitivity of the system. Especially the sensitivity of a Switched Capacitor Integrator to interference frequencies equal or multiple to the sampling frequency—called aliasing effect—is hard to avoid and is one of the main challenges in the design of such a system. EMC is the abbreviation for electromagnetic compatibility and EMC standards are used for products operating in particular EMC environment.

To avoid such aliasing effects it is well known in the prior art to filter the input signal by a low-pass filter, the so called anti-aliasing filter. Such a filter, called as high-cut or treble cut filter, effects that high frequencies are cut out and it is very important to use the anti-aliasing filter before the sensor signal will be digitalized.

Other known previous solutions are a RC filter between sensor cap and integrated ADC (only low pass characteristic) combined with spread spectrum Technology to reduce aliasing (only helpful for higher multiples of sampling frequency).

SUMMARY

It is an object of the invention to reduce the spectral noise sensitivity of Sensor Signal-Conditioner significantly and addresses the EMC weakness of capacitive sensor systems.

In accordance with some methods, a method for improving the EMC robustness of Integrated Capacitive Sensor systems with a Sensor Signal-Conditioner is presented. The Sensor Signal-Conditioner, having an external capacitor representing the physical quantity to be sensed, is connected with a capacitive integrating converter to convert this capacity into a bit stream and an oscillator providing sampling frequency for the capacitive integrating converter and a counter connected with the capacitive integrating converter, whereby a controller is connected with a counter which collects the bit stream and calculates the digital representative of the physical input which is then stored in an output register, comprising the steps of

-   -   performing some conversions with different sampling frequencies         from the oscillator or a frequency divider by the capacitive         Sensor Signal-Converter;     -   storing the results of the samplings and using the results in         the following cycle to calculate for each sampling frequency a         difference to the prior sampling of the same frequency; and     -   calculating the digital representative of the input signal from         the external sensing capacitor as the reverse weighted average         of the samplings of the different frequencies.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises an oscillator or clock divider generating at least two sampling frequencies with f_(A)=f_(CLK)/(2x) and f_(B)=f_(CLK)/x.

It is possible to generate the at least two different sampling frequencies by the oscillator or a frequency divider sequential or parallel.

In a further embodiment the method comprises more conversions with a third or other sampling frequency being three times f_(CLK) or other times generated by the oscillator or the frequency divider.

In another refinement of the invention the at least two different sampling frequencies are integer or non-integer shares of the oscillator clock.

In a further embodiment of the invention the difference of the last two or more subsequent measurements minus minimum of the differences of the two (or more) frequency channels <A; B; . . . > are used for calculating the digital representative of the input signal.

The method according the invention reduces the spectral noise sensitivity of capacitive Sensor Signal-Conditioner significantly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following will be a detailed description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a capacitive sensor signal-conditioner (SSC) which is operated according the new method for improving the EMC robustness.

FIG. 2 shows a schema demonstrating the aliasing effect vs. frequency.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The system described here consists according FIG. 1 of an external capacitor (a) representing the physical quantity to be sensed, which is connected with the input of a capacitive integrating converter (ADC) (b) to convert this capacity (a) into a bit stream and also connected with reference voltage sources Vref+ and Vref−.

The capacitive integrating converter (b) comprises an operational amplifier with capacitive feedback followed by an analog/digital signal converter (ADC) or, at least a comparator.

An oscillator (g) delivers a clock with a frequency f_(OSC) to a state machine (c). This state machine (c) works as a frequency divider and provides the sampling frequency f_(A) as well as f_(B) and delivers the control signals of the capacitive integrating converter (ADC) (b) and a counter (d) connected with the output of the capacitive integrating converter (b). A controller (e) connected with the state machine (c) and a counter (d) which collects the bit stream and calculates the digital representative of the physical input which is than stored in an output register (f) connected with the output of the controller (e). This Capacitive Sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC) is based on a system scheme which is widely used and well known for such Signal-Conditioner.

The new idea consists of two parts:

First, the main part of the capacitive Sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC) is the capacitive integrating converter (ADC) (b) which works on the principle of cyclic charge transfer from external sensing capacitor (a) to the internal integrator cap—this is done with a certain sampling clock of the oscillator (g) or generated by the state machine (c).

Instead of a sampling frequency with only one frequency, the capacitive Sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC) now performs sequential or parallel two (or more) conversions <A;B; . . . > with different sampling frequencies. These different frequencies may be generated directly from the oscillator (g) or by dividing the oscillator clock f_(OSC) into integer or non-integer shares of the oscillator clock f_(OSC) with a configurable counter inside the state machine (c).

Especially two samplings are used, the first with frequency f_(A) and the second with frequency two times f_(A) or in case of more conversions with three or other times f_(A).

Second, the results of both (or more) samplings with f_(A) and f_(B) are stored and used in the following cycle to calculate for each sampling a difference to the prior sampling of the same frequency f_(A) or f_(B) respectively.

The result (rslt) as digital representative of the input signal from the external sensing capacitor (a) is than calculated as the reverse weighted average of the samplings obtained with the two (or more) different frequencies (reg_(A), reg_(B)).

rslt=δ_(B) regA+(δ_(B)−1)reg_(B)  (1)

δ_(B): Weight of frequency channel B from normalized absolute difference of the last two or more subsequent measurements at frequency channel B.

This means, the higher the noise at one sample frequency represented by a normalized absolute difference or another statistical relevant parameter, the lower is the influence of this channel to the result. This explores the property of the system to show a huge noise due to phase beat around aliasing frequency compared to the noise at any other frequency.

Instead of simple difference, a more sophisticated statistical deviation parameter may be used to determine the weights. Especially a formulae considering the difference between actual and stored weight of the last cycle shall be used. This may include configurable low pass filtering of fast changes of the weights to control robustness in dynamic of the algorithm.

Further, instead of using the difference of subsequent measurements, the difference minus minimum of the differences of the two (or more) frequency channels <A; B; . . . > shall be used.

The invention described above reduces the aliasing effect significantly. This will improve DPI or BCI test results even in case of very high spectral resolution. 

1. A method for improving the EMC robustness of Integrated Capacitive Sensor systems with a sensor Signal-Conditioner, having an external capacitor representing the physical quantity to be sensed, connected with a capacitive integrating converter to convert this capacity into a bit stream and an oscillator providing sampling frequency for the capacitive integrating converter and a counter connected with the capacitive integrating converter, whereby a controller is connected with the counter which collects the bit stream and calculates the digital representative of the physical input which is then stored in an output register, comprising the steps of performing conversions with different sampling frequencies from the oscillator or a frequency divider by the capacitive Sensor Signal-Converter; storing the results of the samplings and using the results in the following cycle to calculate for each sampling frequency a difference to the prior sampling of the same frequency; and calculating the digital representative of the input signal from the external sensing capacitor as the reverse weighted average of the samplings of the different frequencies.
 2. The method according claim 1, further comprising an oscillator generating at least two sampling frequencies with f_(A)=f_(CLK)/(2x) and f_(B)=f_(CLK)/x.
 3. The method according claim 2, further comprising that the at least two different sampling frequencies are generated sequential or parallel.
 4. The method according claim 3, further comprising more conversions with three or other times f_(A) generated by the oscillator or the frequency divider.
 5. The method according claim 3, further comprising that the at least two different sampling frequencies are integer or non-integer shares of the oscillator clock or the frequency divider.
 6. The method according one of claim 1, further comprising that the difference of the last two or more subsequent measurements minus minimum of the differences of the two (or more) frequency channels <A; B; . . . > are used for calculating the digital representative of the input signal.
 7. A method, comprising: receiving a signal into a sensor signal conditioner; sampling the signal in a sampling integrating converter at a plurality of sampling frequencies provided by an oscillator to form sampled signals; storing the sample signals; calculating differences between the sample signals and stored previously sampled signals of the same sampling frequencies; calculating a reverse weighted average of the samplings at different frequencies from the differences to form a digital representative of the signal; and storing the digital representative.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the oscillator generates at least two sampling frequencies with f_(A)=f_(CLK)/(2x) and f_(B)=f_(CLK)/x.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least two sampling frequencies are generated sequentially or in parallel.
 10. The method of claim 9, further including conversions with three or other times f_(A) generated by the oscillator or a frequency divider.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least two different sampling frequencies are integer or non-integer shares of the oscillator. 